Today about 5:00pm I aided and abetted in the administration of some serious street justice on Captain Eiley Street which links the Phillip Goldson Highway with Coney Drive in front of the Flour Mill. While I was talking with my mechanic we saw a dark skinned guy walk up to a clear skinned guy who was walking with a female companion and punch him in the face - the victim fell and we could hear the "Plap" as the victim's head made contact with the recently cemented street - the assailant moved in to administer more punishment to the victim but the mechanic immediately ran towards the scene (about 20 feet away in broad daylight with about 20 persons around) and the assailant - obviously surprised that a standerby would intervene - started to run off. I pursued him in my Hilux but the mechanic had an assistant who immediately started his car and picked up the mechanic and began his pursuit. The assailant ran into a side street and the car followed - I drove unto Princess Margaret Drive to cut off the assailant at the end of the side street. We caught him on the side street and the immediate action is best left to the imagination. After a reasonable time lapse the assailant was returned to the scene of the assault and the victim was asked if he knew the assailant (whose face for some reason was covered with blood and he was being restrained by his captors) - the victim proceeded to vent his anger on the assailant and after the victim had had enough the crowd took turns in administering what they considered a reasonable response to the attack. An observer (and I reluctantly) intervened after a reasonable amount of administration and came to the perps rescue. The police was called and they took over. The assailant (under some duress) informed the victim that he had been paid by one of the victim's disgruntled employees to beat the victim to a pulp for his being fired.

Negative Side : This was not a mugging - it was a hit - we have gotten to the stage that a minimum wage employee can pay a hit man to "work" his employer.

Positive Side : Law abiding citizens are still willing to get involved in maintaining some semblance of civilized society - While the assailant was being "disciplined" the administrators were constantly reminding him that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in "our" neighborhood.

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Response: If law enforcement cannot keep proper and properly legal control, the citizens will take over. That is a natural unwritten law.